Ignoring the problem and making it worse
by wolfypuppypiles
Summary: Stiles is hiding the injuries caused by Gerard when the crazy old guy kidnapped him. He has always been good at ignoring the problem until it goes away but this time it might just escalate.
1. Chapter 1

Every movement of his shirt against his skin sent his heart racing. He was sure Scott could hear it because his friend kept cocking his head to the side every time it happened. Stiles was sure that Scott wanted to say something but they were in class with a mega douche of a teacher that happened to really like picking on the troublesome duo and Scott really couldn't afford another detention this week.

Having to reach for his bag to grab a new pen seemed like an impossible task and the teenager couldn't hold back a whimper as he felt his ribs crunch in his chest. Scott had obviously heard it too because he suddenly turned around and looked horrified, his eyes glowing lightly as if his wolf was showing through to look at Stiles too. Before Scott could say anything however, Mr Harris decided to turn around and tell the young wolf to do the same before he got issued yet another detention.

Scott reluctantly turned around barely controlling the low growl that came from him. Stiles was, despite his mutual hatred for Mr Harris, grateful for the distraction and hoped the were-wolf would forget.

Scott knew that Stiles had been taken by Gerard but the human had left some details out of what he had told his best friend and his father. They had obviously seen the bruises and grazes on his face but what he hid under his shirt was much worse and he knew it. But he also knew that they had a lot more to deal with than the silly human that couldn't handle himself in a fight with an old man. So he hid the bruises as best he could and took as many painkillers as he could safely consume and pretended they made a difference.

Of course his dad had wanted him to stay home after being "beaten up by the kids on the other lacrosse team" but he still had to help the pack with everything going on and staying home would just give his Dad more cause to worry. He was fine, he could keep going and he would.

Stiles wrapped his arms tighter around his chest despite the pain it caused because while it hurt it also helped him to breathe a little easier if only for a little while. When he had seen his chest that morning Stiles had almost driven himself to the hospital. It looked almost as bad as it felt. His chest was a mess of bruises and grazes from the kicks of that stupid hunter. He knew he should get his broken ribs checked but the boy was firmly in his "ignore the problem till it goes away" mood so he put some ice packs on and numbed it the best he could before putting on his shirt and hoodie and heading to school.

He told himself he would get checked out as soon as the whole kanima mess was over because he could probably handle it till then. He just needed to keep his injuries from the pack and if that meant avoiding them then so be it. The bell rung and Scott turned to his friend's desk in time to see the human hobble to the door as quickly as he could, leaving the scent of pain and anxiety behind which planted itself firmly in the wolfs nose.

Stiles shuffled down the hallway biting down on his hand to stop from making any noise. If he could only make it to his jeep he would be fine. He would skip the rest of school and research everything he could about the kanima so he could get some stronger pain meds. Yeah that's a good idea, solve the kanima problem and then focus on himself.

Scott burst through the front doors of the school just as Stiles' jeep turned the corner, leaving the wolf to stare on in frustration.

….

Stiles had meant to go straight to his laptop to start researching but his legs took him to his bed instead and he crawled in as carefully as he could. He was just so tired and sore if he could just rest for a while maybe then he could find an answer for the kanima. His labored breathing slowed and his eyes fell firmly shut as he lost the strength to stay awake.


	2. Chapter 2

Stiles woke feeling even worse than he had when he fell asleep. Looking at the window he realized it was still light out so he figured he mustn't have slept very long except there as a note on his dresser form his dad.

Stiles.

Didn't want to wake you, you seem like your finally getting some proper sleep. I've already called the school to say you're staying home. I'll be at work all day, please eat something.

Love, Dad.

The teenager grabbed his phone from under his pillow to find thirteen messages from Scott. So he had slept all of yesterday, last night and this morning. No wonder he was so stiff. He started massaging his neck idly as he read the texts that got progressively worse.

From Scotty:

Dude what happened?

Where did you go?

I'm serious Stiles you're freaking me out.

I know something's wrong I could smell it.

And your heartbeat was going crazy.

Was it a panic attack?

Stiles!

Answer me or I'm telling the others about what happened.

I'm telling them.

I told them

I'm really worried please just answer me

If you don't tell me what's going on I'm going to have to ask your dad.

I'm coming over.

The last one was sent twenty minutes ago. Crap. He only had time to get out of bed and lock his window before he saw Scott's bike arrive in driveway.

"Stiles! I'm coming in!"

"Go to School Scott I'm fine!"

"I know your lying!" He disappeared around the front of the house and barged through Stiles' bedroom door a few moments later. Stiles hoped he didn't notice that his clothes hadn't changed from yesterday.

"Dude I'm worried about you why won't you tell me what was wrong with you yesterday? And don't say that your fine."

"I was just tired I was gonna research about the kanima today so you'd actually know how to stop it. You should be in school anyway Harris is going to notice both of us missing."

"Yeah but somehow I don't think he can ignore a sick note from the sheriff."

"It'll probably just piss him off more. How did you get out of class?"

Scott looked irritated at being distracted so easily by his best friend who was smiling innocently.

"Dude it doesn't matter. I'm still waiting for you to tell me what happened yesterday."

Stiles knew he couldn't hide the extent of his injuries for long and he wrung his hands trying to think of how to tell the wolf currently moving closer.

"It's not a big deal Scott I'm just a little sore and tired from my hang out with Gerard."

Scott closed the distance between them and took both the humans hands in his own, his veins streaking black as he did.

"If you're in pain, let me help. Here sit down."

Stiles sighed in relief as his pain slipped away and allowed him to breathe easier and sank down into his bed as Scott instructed.

Scott though was growing more concerned at the level of pain that was evading his veins.

"I thought you said you were only a little sore Stiles. This is a lot of pain I don't even know if I can take it all. Why didn't you say anything?"

Stiles reluctantly took his hands back, chastising himself for not thinking about that sooner. He plastered a fake smile on his face and tried not to show how much the pain bothered him.

"Maybe I can handle more than you think wolf man. And you don't need to check up on me all the time I'm a big boy I can take care of myself."

Scott stood suddenly hands clenched as he tried to control the anger that bloomed in his chest.

"This isn't a joke Stiles! You were kidnapped and tortured-"

"Erica and Boyd were tortured I was just beaten up by a stupid old guy."

"And I should have protected you! That shouldn't have happened! Your dad was freaking out when you went missing and I had no idea what had happened to you. I couldn't even find you by scent and now your hurt and won't even talk to me about it and Derek's so pissed off he almost left to kill all the hunters this morning and I almost let him!"

"Scott it's not your job to protect me and it's not your job to save everyone. You're only a teenager."

"It is my job. And I didn't do it. So please just tell me what's happening with you so I can help."

Scott was really upset now, his puppy eyes filled with tears that Stiles couldn't refuse. He was so close to telling him everything when Scott's phone started ringing.

The wolf groaned and pulled out his phone telling Stiles it was Derek before turning around to answer it.

"Okay I'll be there as soon I can. Stiles the Kanima's been spotted near the school and Derek thinks he might know how to save Jackson so I'm gonna go help but we aren't done with this conversation okay?"

Stiles nodded gratefully as Scot left and headed to his desk. His chest was tightening again and as he sat down and he tried to ignore it. The pain that Scott had dimmed was returning and his breathing was becoming shallower. He tried wrapping his arms around himself but the pressure was so painful he stopped breathing altogether. It took only a few moments for his breath to return but he was already dizzy.

The teenager unclenched his hands from where they were pressed against the desk watching his fingers turn pink as the blood returned.

Okay so maybe he should actually get checked out because the problem was most definitely getting worse and Scott would be back expecting answers as soon as he finished with Derek.

He had been moving to his bed to grab his phone when a sudden wave of dizziness hit him. He closed his eyes and tried to focus but he couldn't bring enough air in. His knees crumpled as he hit the floor with a scream. He had landed hard on his side causing pain to explode in his chest. His breath was stolen from him and he started to cough which was like hitting his already damaged ribs with a hammer.

With tears streaming down his face he rolled to his side and covered his mouth with his hand as the coughing continued. When they finally stopped he was struggling to pull in any air at all. His vision swam in and out of focus and he thought he saw a streak of red across his palm before everything faded to black.


	3. Chapter 3

(AN: thank you to all the people that followed and Favorited this story and those that followed or Favorited me! thank you also to all the reviews it really helps me see what you like so if you have any suggestions for the next chapter because I don't really know what to do apart from the typical waiting room stuff. I was however thinking of having the rest of the pack show up so tell me what you think thanks guys your the best!)

The Sheriff had finished work early and was looking forward to some down time at home after all the mess at work. How he was ever going to explain everything about the Kanima damage in a report he had no idea.

Scott had been leaving their driveway on his motorbike when the Sheriff turned the corner onto his street. He figured he must have been checking on Stiles on his lunch break.

"Stiles?"

The kid had looked exhausted yesterday but he can't still be in bed, it's four thirty already. John took off his jacket and climbed the stairs to Stiles' room where the door was cracked open enough for the sound of labored breathing to make its way to the now concerned father.

"Stiles I'm coming in son."

Pushing the door open to reveal the teenagers' bedroom showed nothing but a messy bed and a few scattered books and papers lying around the room. John could see nothing of his son but still there was the worrying sound of strained breaths. Moving forward and following the sound, his son's feet soon became visible on the other side of the bed.

He raced to his son, dread crawling into his belly as he took in the sight of his boy lying, pale, on his side and struggling to breathe.

"Stiles! What- Oh my God"

'There's blood on his palm. There is blood on my sons' palm.' John knew this was bad. And yet he had no idea what happened.

The sheriff tried not to break down at the sight of the blood that was smeared on the blue tinted lips of his son.

Slipping his hands under Stiles' neck and back he lifted him enough to be able to support the boys head on his shoulder. He held his son upright enough to hope it eased his breathing.

"Come on son, stay with me."

He pulled his phone out of his pocket and dialed hoping the ambulance would arrive in time.

The emergency operator told him to let them know if Stiles' stopped breathing and he moved his hand to the center of his sons chest at the thought that he might not notice when it happened. If it happened.

He had put the phone on speaker so he could wrap one arm around Stile's waist and have the other on his sons' forehead mindlessly playing with the soft spikes of hair. He still had no idea what had happened and Stiles had shown no signs of waking except for a strangled grown when he had been lifted and a few coughs which the Sheriff soon found was the source of the blood.

Knowing where the blood was coming from, in no way made John feel better and he notified the emergency operator in the hopes that they would tell the ambulance to hurry up.

Five minutes later the paramedics showed up and quickly took the Sheriffs son from his reluctant arms. The thought of his son dying in his arms was heart-breaking but the thought of his son dying on a cold stretcher surrounded by stranger was even worse. John had to stop himself from shoving the medics aside to scoop up his son numerous times.

The paramedics cut Stiles shirt off to find out what was wrong and when the fabric was moved away to reveal the heavy black and purple bruising that covered his sons damaged torso, the Sheriff choked back a sob.

"Who's done this to you?"

The father was crying openly now as a tube was forced down Stiles' throat before the boy was strapped down and loaded onto the ambulance.

"I'm sorry Sheriff you'll have to follow behind us. Your sons just too unstable."

And with that they had taken him away. His poor baby boy that had gone through far more in his 17 years than anyone should in a lifetime.

John could do nothing but pray that he wouldn't lose his son too.

…..

John knew he shouldn't drive while he was so distressed but he couldn't bear the thought of not being there if his son didn't make it. He couldn't do it again. Not like Claudia.

Pulling himself up from the floor he made his way out of the house and into car, taking a few shuddering breaths as he tried to calm down enough to drive. His hands were shaking the entire time but he finally arrived at the hospital to find Melissa waiting for him in reception.

"John what happened? I saw him when they took him in I-"

"I don't know. I found him in his room unconscious he was barely breathing and coughing up blood. God Melissa his chest-it was bad."

The nurse led him to some chairs and made him sit down.

"I know but they've taken him in to emergency, they'll fix whatever's wrong but it may be a while till we hear anything. I'll keep you updated if I hear anything and I'll call Scott to see if he knows what happened."

The sheriff nodded gratefully and rested his head in his hands settling in for a long wait.

…

Scott was on his way back to Stiles' house after everything with the kanima went down. They had miraculously saved Jackson and defeated Gerard despite his body going missing and have no idea whether he was still alive or not. But he was gone and they no longer had a kanima to deal with so now Scott cold focus on Stiles.

His phone started ringing a few blocks away from the Stilinski's place and he pulled over to answer it.

"Mom? What's wrong?"

Scott honey, its Stiles. He's just been brought into the hospital." The nurse paused not wanting to scare him with the details but knowing they needed to know what had happened. "Do you know why he would have broken ribs and extensive bruising?"

The wolf felt like throwing up. Broken ribs and extensive bruising? And Stiles was in the hospital.

"Scott, sweet heart?"

"He was kidnapped by Gerard. He beat the crap out of him but Stiles insisted he was fine. He was acting funny though so I was going to make him get checked out but Derek called and…"

"Scott is that where Stiles was when he was missing the other night? And what do you mean he was acting strange?"

Scott closed his eyes trying to concentrate and nodded before he remembered he was talking on the phone and his mum was waiting for an answer.

"Yeah. At School yesterday he smelt like pain and his heart was beating like crazy. I tried to talk to him about it but he bolted and I didn't see him till today. He was in a lot of pain Mom and I was gonna make him get checked out I swear but the kanima and-"

"I know honey. It's not your fault, you've been really helpful. Do you wanna come to the hospital? It will be a while till we hear anything about how he's doing but you could it with the Sheriff."

"Yeah thanks Mom. I'll see you soon."

He hung up and started his bike, driving to the hospital on autopilot while debating whether he should tell the others.

Allison was probably busy dealing with her family breaking apart and Lydia and Jackson would be dealing with everything that just happened. Scott doubted that Derek or his pack would care at all. It was just him. And without his usual partner in crime at his side he felt more alone than ever.


	4. Chapter 4

( I am so sorry for how incredibly long its take for the next chapter I'm a horrible person and this chapter sucks but I would really appreciate your feedback. Thank you so much for those that read my stories and gives me favorites and follows and reviews its the best thing ever and I'm so grateful)

Scott had been sitting with the Sheriff for three hours when they were finally brought some news. The doctor looked grim as he came to stand in front of the pair and Melissa came to stand with them.

"He had heavy internal bleeding and several broken ribs that caused problems for him. Besides the blood loss there was minimal damage, he was very lucky, he could have punctured a lung. We've fixed up what we could inside and set his ribs, we are also giving him blood to replace what he's lost but he isn't breathing on his own yet."

"Is he gonna be okay?" Scott couldn't help but feel responsible for what happened and Melissa took his hand as his voice shook.

"His body is very weak but he should recover fine. As long as he starts healing and hopefully breathing on his own he will be okay. Sheriff you can come see him for a while if you like."

The doctor lead the anxious father away as Scott sniffed and Melissa wrapped her arms around him.

"I should have protected him and now he's hurt and he has to stay here. He hates it here Mom."

Melissa pressed Scott closer to her and rubbed at her boys back as he cried.

"I know honey but Stiles will be okay and he wouldn't want you blaming yourself."

Scott felt like the worst friend ever but he wiped his eyes and pulled himself together deciding to wait till he got to see Stiles.

His Mom still had work so kissed his forehead and went back to it. Scott wasn't waiting long when he heard familiar voices.

"Scott! How's Stiles is he doing okay?" It was Allison and Lydia with Jackson in tow, looking worried and sitting next to a very surprised Scott.

"The doctor said he has internal bleeding but he'll be okay. What are you guys doing here?"

"I overheard my Dad talking to Gerard about the sheriff's kid being brought in. Gerard did it didn't he?" Scott nodded and wondered how Lydia and Jackson knew about what they were talking about but soon found that it hardly mattered.

"Jackson I really didn't think you would care about Stiles." The jock looked to Scott with a disgusted expression.

"I don't-" Lydia elbowed him hard.

"He helped to save both of us and for that we are grateful." She was glaring at Jackson while talking but soon returned her attention to Scott.

"Allison told me how he stayed in the hospital while I was here so this is the least I could do especially since apparently it was him and not Jackson that saved me on the Lacrosse field."

Scott nodded gratefully. He let out a deep breath and smiled happy to have the support of his friends.

Pretty soon there was even more noise and the stomps of several people walking towards them. Scott looked up to see Derek and his pack making their way towards them.

"What are you guys doing here? You're supposed to be runaways remember?"

Erica was holding Boyd's hand and looking around.

"Yeah well he may be annoying but the kid's nice and he helped save us. Is he okay?" Derek was looming in the back but seemed to be listening intently to his answer which surprised Scott most of all.

"Internal bleeding but the doc says he should be okay. He isn't breathing on his own though and they said he was coughing up blood. I should have been there."

Isaac put a hand on the wolfs shoulder.

"It's Stilinski he'll be fine and it was his fault for not getting help anyway." Derek coughed from the back and gave a 'not helping' look.

But it hardly mattered because now Scott wasn't alone and now Stiles would see how many people depended on him not being an idiot.

…..

John looked down at his boy, breathing tube in his mouth, bandages disappearing under his blanket and face as pale as his sheets. He took his sons limp hand in his own and sat, sighing as he did because he should have made Stiles get checked out as soon as he came home from being beaten up. None of this would have happened.

"Oh Claudia, I'm so sorry."

The beep of the heart monitor continued to play in a comforting rhythm of bleeps reminding the sheriff that Stiles was still here and he would be okay.

He sat there for an hour before Stiles started stirring. Fingers twitching and pulling at the Sheriffs hand and eyes scrunching shut. Stiles didn't know where he was but his Dad was there and talking to him.

He was calm until he realized something was in his mouth and down his throat. He began to cough but he hurt everywhere and the more he choked on whatever was in his mouth the more tears leaked from his eyes. There was yelling and Stiles thought his dad must have gotten somebody because soon there were hands holding him down and the thing in his throat was being pulled out.

It was painful, messy and scary having a tube pulled from your throat but he could finally breathe. Bleary eyes opened to his dad's teary face and a smiling Melissa.

"Stiles? You okay son? I was so worried, don't you ever do that again."

The boy opened his mouth to reply but it seems his father wasn't finished.

"Why didn't you tell anyone you were hurt? You could have died Stiles and I can't believe I didn't notice what was happening. I can't believe you didn't trust me enough to come to me for help."

"No dad that's not why…. I just didn't want you to worry."

"Well I was pretty damn worried when I found you barley breathing on the floor Stiles! I ….just please let me help next time."

Stiles felt tears on his cheeks again as he watched his father wipe his own eyes in frustration.

Melissa moved forward and tutted at the two.

"He needs to be resting John so no fighting you two." The nurse brushed the tears from Stiles' cheeks and pressed a kiss to his forehead.

"I'm glad you're okay sweetie."

Walking to the door she pat the Sheriff's shoulder as she went.

"I'll go tell Scott he's awake."


End file.
